Bleach Reloaded
by Darth Stitch
Summary: Bleach AU. A tired, depressed Shinigami Captain is sent on a routine mission into the Living World. But when he runs into a certain orange-haired teenager, the mission becomes anything but ordinary. Eventual Byakuya/Ichigo slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Bleach Reloaded****  
**_by Darth Stitch_

**SUMMARY: **Bleach AU. A tired, depressed Shinigami Captain is sent on a routine mission into the Living World. But when he runs into a certain orange-haired teenager, the mission becomes anything but ordinary.

**Disclaimer/Author's Notes: **Bleach is the creation of Kubo Tite and I'm just playing in the sandbox. I'll put the pretty toys back when I'm done. I figure that this has been done before but I just had to take a whack at it – who could resist the notion of Byakuya meeting Ichigo first? I have taken serious liberties with the canon so please put tongue firmly in cheek and leave all canon at the door.

Although this is an AU take on the anime/manga, I don't intend to rewrite every single episode and recreate them. Some things are going to be inevitably different, given the characters and the new dynamic involved.

**WARNING:** Yes, there will be slash (yaoi) but it's not going to be apparent at least for a very long time, at least until I get a Certain Somebody around here to the proper age. If slash is not your thing, clicky-click on the handy back button and run like hell.

* * *

**Prologue**

_**We fear that which we cannot see. **_

Kuchiki Byakuya was tired.

He was tired of duty, tired of grief and sorrow and pain, tired of keeping up the strong, emotionless front expected of a clan leader and a captain of the Gotei 13. He was tired of seeing _her_ face in his thankfully strong and capable little sister. And he could not bear the obvious affection she bore for him and the desire for his acceptance and approval. It scratched too close at wounds that had never really healed.

It wasn't that he didn't care – Rukia, despite his family's objections to her adoption into the clan, had always carried herself with the pride and dignity of a true-born Kuchiki. Had things been different, perhaps he might have relaxed into the relationship, enjoyed being someone's "onii-san" when he'd grown up as an only child. Perhaps he could have even thanked Hisana for it. It was just easier

(safer)

to retreat into well-practiced formality and keep his distance.

It would hurt less, in the long run.

The wind picked up, catching the edges of his windflower scarf. Had there been anyone to see, he would have made a rather striking and odd image – a samurai in traditional black, flowing hakama, standing on top of a 20th century modern-day telephone pole.

Slate gray eyes watched the twinkling lights of the town but he was really lost in memory, remembering what brought him here.

It started with that incident with the Hollow. Nasty creature – it had caught him off guard with that illusion of Hisana and he'd been badly wounded. The creature had evaded Shinigami for more than fifty years with that trick and perhaps, had he been less distracted, he might not have had to suffer the humiliation of being rescued by his impetuous vice-captain.

It was Ukitake-taichou who proposed that Byakuya go out into the real world. The cheerful 13th Division Captain had been among Byakuya's visitors while he recuperated, bringing him his favorite type of tea.

The thing about Ukitake-taichou was his amazing ability to see far too much and yet skirt his way about the issue with skill and finesse. It was said that one could never see the strike coming from the best of swordsmen; Ukitake was much the same with his words.

It would be a routine mission, really and Kuchiki-taichou had not gone out into the Living World for very many years now. Honestly, all of them should be up to speed on what was happening out there and they'd considered sending young Hitsugaya-taichou but perhaps Kuchiki-taichou might take that opportunity instead?

Byakuya murmured his initial demurral – that was expected, after all. Also, Abarai Renji, his vice-captain, was utterly useless at paperwork, despite his prowess in battle. Byakuya didn't really want to contemplate the mountain of paperwork that would be awaiting him upon his return. And then, Ukitake pointed out that he would be more than happy to help Byakuya out with that – he'd often bemoaned where he could direct the manic energy of his two excitable third seats.

And then, the final blow – Unohana-taichou would more than likely force Byakuya into weeks of inactivity at his home when he could be spending it out there in the Living World, in useful occupation, even as he rested.

"So where shall I go?" Byakuya asked, taking a sip from his tea and conceding victory to the elder captain.

"Karakura," was the prompt answer. "It's rather become quite the magnet for Hollow activity. This place does have an unusual amount of spirit energy. It's a very interesting puzzle. Is there anything perhaps in your family's archives about the area?"

"There have been some isolated events that took place in that area some centuries ago," Byakuya answered. "But they should not be related to what is happening now. As you say, it is an interesting puzzle."

Ukitake beamed. "There. A mystery to unravel and a chance to wander about the Living World! And I shall have my third-seats take care of your paperwork immediately. Everyone wins, neh?"

The head of the Kuchiki clan nodded in agreement.

And so here he was, with the moon high in the sky, standing watch over Karakura town. Ukitake was right; there was enormous spiritual energy here.

He set aside the perpetual weariness for a while. It was a simple job, a routine job that any Shinigami might be able to do. But Ukitake had asked that he come here and he was painfully aware of the man's ulterior motives. Yet, he found himself accepting that obvious concern and forgiving it, when once he would have been mortally offended.

Duty. He was so tired of it and yet he knew he had to continue onwards.

The Shinigami captain leapt off into the night.

_**And so fell the sword of fate. **_

* * *

**EPISODE 1: Strawberry & the Soul Reapers**

Damn it. He was on Dumbass-Bashing Duty again.

Kurosaki Ichigo ignored the posturing and the insults – mostly aimed at his unusual orange hair (yes, it really _was_ orange, go figure how the hell _that_ happened). He'd heard those kinds of things all his life. What was really important was the overturned vase and the crushed flowers and the pitiful, tear-streaked little face that looked up at him.

Shit. She was the same age as his little sisters. That alone made him even angrier.

One of the Dumbasses rushed him. Yep, spend a little time in the dojo and everybody thinks they're Jet Li or Jacky Chan. Ichigo stopped him with a well-placed foot in the face. The fact that he probably broke the idiot's nose was just icing on the cake.

It was easy enough to take the Dumbass down, keep that foot on his face and stare down the rest of his Dumbass buddies, patented Glare of Death set firmly on his face.

"Anyone care to tell me what that is?"

"A v-v-v-vase, sir?"

"You're a fucking genius, buddy. And what's in the vase?"

"Flowers?"

"And what'd ya do to the flowers?"

"Knocked 'em over with our skateboards."

"Yeah, you graduate at the top of the class!" Ichigo snarled. "So why's there a vase with flowers at this particular corner?"

The Dumbass under his foot finally managed to speak, "It's for that little girl who got run over last week."

"Right again! So maybe, just maybe, you morons want to apologize to her, before I sic the entire population of ghosts in Karakura on your sorry asses?!!"

"You don't wanna mess with the Berry-head, man. He really can see ghosts!" confirmed another Dumbass.

"AIEEEEE!!!!! We're sorrywe'resorrywe'resorry!!!!!!!"

Looks like his reputation had preceded him. That came in handy at times. Dumbass-Bashing done, Ichigo turned his attention to the little girl ghost hovering just above the vase and what was left of the flowers.

Shit. Once again, Ichigo was reminded of his baby sisters and he felt that funny twist in his gut every damn time he encountered something like this.

"Yo. You all right?" he asked gruffly, trying to cover himself.

She gave him a tremulous smile. "Yes, onii-san. I just really wanted them to go away."

He scratched the back of his head. "No biggie. Listen – I'll bring you flowers tomorrow, okay?"

She beamed. "Thanks, onii-san! I can rest peacefully now."

He waved a hand as he started to walk away. "Yeah, yeah – you better hurry up and get going on the whole rest in peace thing okay? See ya tomorrow."

"Haiiiii!!!!"

Yeah. That was his life. He was Kurosaki "Strawberry" Ichigo, age 15, a high school student known for that distinctive head of orange hair (yes, it WAS his real hair color, damn it! Thank Kami his eyes were at least a normal shade of brown), a reputation for being pretty good in a fight and just one more teensy little detail.

Kurosaki Ichigo could see ghosts.

Yep, he really could see them. See them, touch them, talk to them as if they were alive and breathing. He'd been able to do that since he was a kid. Kami knew why he had that gift – his sister Karin had it too while Yuzu, thankfully, could sense them but was spared the ability to see them. But that was life and it sucked sometimes and he just dealt with it best he could.

Inevitably, because he got home late (not that past 7 pm should be late for a 15 year old teenage boy), his Dad pounced on him. The real reason why his reflexes were so good was because of his Dad's twisted idea of martial arts training – thank Kami his Dad didn't have any bright ideas of dragging him off to China. Falling into a cursed spring and turning into a girl wasn't high on his list of Things To Do in Life – Karin was the Ranma ½ fan, not him.

Ichigo managed to fend off the old goat-face but not before Karin helpfully pointed out that he'd picked up yet another freakin' ghost. Damn it. He kept exorcising the things but they still followed him around like puppies!

Thinking about his latest "guest" made Ichigo remember that little girl at the corner all over again. He'd never be able to forgive himself if _anything _happened to Karin or Yuzu. He was a big brother after all.

Yuzu sweetly offered him dinner but Ichigo had lost his appetite already. And Karin was already coming up with some hare-brained scheme to profit off his so-called "gift" with the ghosts. He wasn't in the mood for more of Goat-Face's antics either. Goat Face had decided to wail out his sorrows about the poor treatment he was getting from his children to the enormous poster that was set up for their mother and _there _was another memory that Ichigo didn't want to delve into right now. So he made his excuses and bounded upstairs to the safe haven of his room.

His family kept redefining the concept of weirdness every single day.

Just as Ichigo had dumped his school bag on the floor and was about to get dressed, his room began to smell of cherry blossoms. Then, a swallowtail butterfly went past his head, velvety black wings flapping. And just when Ichigo was about to blame the whole mess on the new ghost that had followed him home, this rather pretty guy in samurai gear _emerged from the wall_ and walked into _his _room like he owned the place.

What. The. Fuck?

Ichigo was terrible with names but he wasn't half bad with faces and physical details. The guy had a couple of inches on him but was fairly close to his own build. Black hair was caught up in some sort of elaborate hair clips which should have looked ridiculous on any other man but somehow suited him.

The samurai cocked his head to one side, as if listening for something that only he alone could hear. There _was_ an eerie howling, very faint, coming as if from very far away. Despite that, it raised the hairs on the back of Ichigo's neck and he'd thought he was already immune to that kind of thing.

"It's close," the samurai murmured softly, a _tekkou_-covered hand tightening on the hilt of his sword.

Ichigo had just about enough of this. He struck out with what should have been a well-aimed kick. "How's that for close, you jerk--?"

The samurai flitted out of the way easily and Ichigo's leg met with nothing but thin air. The orange haired boy regained his balance easily and dropped into a defensive stance. This guy wasn't some dojo wannabe – somehow, he had to be the real thing.

Slate-gray eyes regarded him with obvious startlement. "You can see me?"

Ichigo snorted. "Well, _duh, _Captain Pretty Damn Obvious. What's close and what the hell are you doing in my home?"

"You can see me," said the samurai slowly, in clear disbelief. "And you would have kicked me."

"I'm not going to miss next time," Ichigo growled.

"Normal humans should not be able to see me," the samurai answered coolly.

Ichigo snorted. "Sorry, buddy – 'normal' is overrated in this house."

"Obviously," the samurai retorted. "I am a shinigami. Suffice it to say that I mean you or your family no harm. Now forget you ever saw me and leave me about my business."

"Hell, no," Ichigo retorted. "I see a lot of ghosts all the time, samurai-hime, but this whole shinigami thing's a new one on me. You barge into my house uninvited; the least ya could do is give me some sort of explanation."

The samurai's lips thinned in obvious irritation. "_Hime," _ he muttered under his breath. "Why is it that everyone, including that barbarian Kenpachi, keeps calling me that…?"

Ichigo snorted. "'Cos you're pretty enough to be one."

The samurai glared at him. "You're a mind-reader as well?"

"Nope," Ichigo smirked. "You were thinking aloud."

"…"

Okay, the samurai guy looked even prettier when he was so obviously flustered. Er… whoops… manliness points were going down by the second here. Ichigo mentally gave himself a smack upside the head. Focus, Berry-head.

Fortunately, the samurai recovered quickly. He turned his attention to the ghost who'd come home with Ichigo and had been largely ignored until now. The poor guy was probably some office drone who'd been unlucky enough to get into an accident – he was still clutching his briefcase.

"A small demonstration," the samurai said stiffly. He drew his sword from its sheath and approached the ghost.

"Hey," Ichigo began, taking a step forward. "What the hell do you think you're doing -- ?"

The samurai made a small gesture with his hand and Ichigo fell to the floor, his arms pinned to his sides by what seemed to be invisible chains.

"Oi! What did you do to me?!"

"Be still, _boy," _ the samurai told him. "I am shinigami – reaping souls is part of my duty."

"Please…" the ghost whimpered. "I don't want to go to hell…"

"Do not presume. You will not go to hell," the samurai told him calmly. "I am sending you to Soul Society where you may find rest." The hilt of his sword touched the ghost's forehead and he disappeared.

"What the hell happened to him?" Ichigo demanded.

"We call souls like him 'wholes' and what I did to him was _konso_ – the soul burial. He has passed on, as you would call it."

Pinned down and helpless by some strange force as he was, Ichigo found himself looking up into those cool gray eyes and believing every word. Once more, he heard that strange, eerie howling and worse – it seemed to be getting closer.

The samurai knelt next to him and this time, he looked faintly amused. "You are a very strange boy. The kido spell I cast on you will last until you wake up in the morning. Think of this just as a very odd dream."

Ichigo heard the howling again and this time, it was the loudest yet. _As if it were already here. _

The samurai was muttering to himself again. "Something is blocking my senses… where is that Hollow?"

"Hey, Shinigami!" Ichigo blurted out. "What the hell was that? I keep hearing that howling!"

The cry came again and this time, Ichigo heard a loud crash from downstairs. His father cried out and then he heard his sisters screaming.

The samurai stared at him. "You heard it before I did - ?"

Ichigo was having none of it. His sisters were _screaming_. He struggled to his feet. "Karin! Yuzu!"

"You shouldn't be able to stand up!" The samurai tried to stop him.

Ichigo could hear footsteps – could track it going up the stairs and down the hall. His door burst open. Yuzu – sweet little Yuzu – was there, blood on her face and bruised all over.

"Onii-chan – Karin – Daddy… _monsters…" _

"Yuzu!"

Brown eyes turned inward, unfocused. "There was so much blood, Ichi-nii and it came from Daddy's back and then, something took Karin outside…. It was a monster… I think it was a monster… it was all so fast… " Yuzu fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Yuzu!!!!!"

"It's a Hollow, boy," the samurai said urgently. "Stay here with your sister – I will take care of it, it is part of my mission…"

"No!" Ichigo was past listening to him. "It's got my sister!"

"Stop, you can't break that spell – it will damage your soul!"

"Karin!"

All Ichigo could see was that little girl he'd left behind at the corner. He promised he'd bring her flowers tomorrow. And he never _ever_ wanted to do that for Karin or Yuzu.

Losing his mom was bad enough.

Whatever was holding him down was insanely strong but Ichigo didn't give a damn. All that mattered was saving his baby sister. Somehow, Ichigo felt the invisible chains holding him slowly giving way as he struggled. He grabbed onto that opportunity with both hands and felt himself strain against that power, giving one more hard _push…_

Ichigo was free.

He grabbed the first available weapon he could find – his old baseball bat and was out the door.

***

Kuchiki Byakuya couldn't believe it.

He was a master of kido and yet, that boy – that _human _boy had somehow managed to break his spell. He'd felt the sudden surge of sheer power from that boy the moment he shattered the binding spell. And Byakuya should have sensed that Hollow coming even before it attacked.

Abruptly, he realized the reason why his senses had been so confused the minute he'd stepped into the house.

It was the boy. His reiatsu was so strong that it had even managed to overwhelm his own power, even if it were only for a moment.

But Byakuya wasn't about to waste time standing there, lost in his own thoughts. He'd followed the boy the minute he rushed out the door. He was a Shinigami Captain; he would not let an innocent die on his watch, not from some Hollow.

He found the boy staring in horror at the Hollow standing outside his house. The creature held a little girl in its claws. Byakuya's heart clenched abruptly in his chest – the child had dark hair and it was all too easy to substitute her features for Rukia's.

"Ichi-nii…" the child whimpered. "Run… Ichi-nii…."

He reached out to put a restraining hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't – it's an evil spirit and you won't stand a –"

To his horror, the boy moved, faster than he could have imagined – almost as if he knew how to use _shunpo_, wielding that wooden stick like a bokken. "Karin!!!!"

Byakuya didn't need to see it – he knew that Hollow had raised his free hand to strike and the boy would have no way to avoid those claws. Stifling a curse, he flew upwards, drawing Senbonzakura from its sheath. A quick shove got the boy out of the way and Senbonzakura slashed down taking out the creature's arm and freeing the little girl.

He hissed as he felt the monster's claws slash down his back, opening wounds that had just barely begun to heal from the last battle he'd been in. He stifled a cry as he felt it sink its teeth into his shoulder, ripping away flesh. Somehow, he managed to slash at it and leap away, sinking down to his knees.

No – it would not end like this. He barely just had strength enough to use his _shikai_ but the boy and his sister were too close to the Hollow and right now, he was too drained of energy to focus properly. He just might end up destroying the neighborhood in the process instead. The wound on his shoulder was bad enough; already, he could feel his _shihakushou_ practically becoming soaked with his blood. His sword arm was useless; he could barely lift the blade now.

He felt, rather than saw the boy stumble to his knees next to him. His sister had fallen behind the Hollow – they'd have to go through the creature to get to her.

"What is that thing?" The boy asked, breathing heavily.

"It's a Hollow – an evil spirit that devours other spirits," Byakuya told him. "It's also attracted to humans with a great deal of spiritual energy. A human who can see spirits, even a shinigami… and could break a shinigami's spell."

The boy stared at him, horror and understanding beginning to dawn on his face. Byakuya didn't have time to sugarcoat things – he didn't want to let this boy have this sort of knowledge but it was far too late now.

"Yes – it is after you now."

"My Dad… my sisters…?" The boy asked.

"They're hurt but they still have their souls."

"Oh. Good." New determination filled the boy's eyes. "Well, if it wants me…"

"Idiot!" Byakuya growled. "You don't go around offering yourself to Hollows!"

"I didn't say I'd hand myself up to the thing on a freaking silver platter! I'm going to save my family!"

"You won't get that thing with your bare hands, you fool!" Byakuya's breath was growing short – he was getting weaker by the minute. There was a way and he'd be breaking Kami knew how many Soul Society laws…

He'd sworn on his parents' graves that after Hisana and Rukia, he'd never do such a thing again….

But he couldn't look at that boy in the eyes and let him die.

_Forgive me…._

"There is a way," he told the boy, struggling for every breath. "Take my zanpakutou and set it over your heart. I will give you half of my powers."

"What?"

"You were able to break my spell, boy. It's a risky move but we have no other choice. It's the only thing that will give you a chance against that Hollow."

"I get the picture," the boy interrupted him. "Give me your sword, Shinigami."

So earnest. Had he been ever like this, when he was this boy's age?

"Don't call me that." Byakuya responded. It was suddenly important that he let the boy know his name. It was strange what people would think of at times like these. "My name is Kuchiki Byakuya."

The boy managed a cheeky grin, despite the prospect of imminent death. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Nice to meet ya."

The Hollow howled. They were out of time.

Gray eyes stared steadily into brown. "If you fail…" Byakuya began.

"I won't fail." It sounded like a promise.

Senbonzakura slid easily into human flesh. The sudden surge of reiatsu caught Byakuya entirely by surprise.

_No, I meant for him to only take half of my strength. Somehow he managed to take it all!_

And the boy – Ichigo – held in his hands a zanpakutou that was easily his own height. Byakuya had never seen a shinigami's sword automatically assume its _shikai _form without even having the command for its release spoken.

What was this boy?

The outcome was nothing short of astonishing. Swinging that gigantic sword as if he'd been hunting Hollows all his life, Ichigo dispatched the creature easily. A few moments and it was all over.

And then, drained by his sudden and shocking assumption of shinigami powers, Ichigo fell unconscious in the street, his hand still firmly closed around the hilt of that giant sword which showed no sign of going back to normal.

Clutching his wounded shoulder, all pain forgotten, Byakuya rose to his feet and stumbled towards Ichigo. The question rang again in his mind.

What was this boy?

And then, Byakuya caught the sense of a familiar reiatsu and an equally familiar, mocking voice.

"My, my, Kuchiki-taichou. What _have_ you gotten yourself into this time?"

_- to be continued –_

**

* * *

  
Author's Endnotes: ** Naturally, we have to get Urahara in there.

I'll take time out to give a salute to **Mandeh-Yaoi-Star'**s highly entertaining take on the same idea _"__**Never Surrender."**_I stumbled onto her fic while I was in the middle of sketching out the ideas for mine. Go check it out here on FF Dot Net. We need more Byakuya/Ichigo love out there!

Updates will be as often as I can manage 'em. To keep my sanity, I'll try to keep each "episode" as self-contained as possible, just like the anime. If I'm going for a longer arc, then I'll do my best not to publish until they're complete… or at least until I'm close enough to the end.


	2. Chapter 2

**Bleach Reloaded**_  
By Darth Stitch_

_Standard Disclaimers Apply_

* * *

**EPISODE 2: Declaration **

_Do you care what I believe – 'cause I'm still breathing…  
Or that I wear a heart upon my sleeve  
Sometimes I think you never knew  
The only truth I see is you  
It's you_

_It's my declaration to anyone who's listening  
You're my inspiration as I stand alone against the world  
'Cause you love and you bleed  
And you stole my soul to set me free  
it's my declaration…_

_- _"Declaration," David Cook

_  
The samurai smiled faintly. It suited him, despite the fact that Ichigo was dead sure that this guy wasn't into the whole smiling thing. "Think of this as a very strange dream."_

_  
A dream…_

_  
His father, covered in blood, lying on the floor…_

_  
Yuzu collapsing at his door. "Monsters… onii-chan…"_

_  
Karin in the grasp of that creature. "Ichi-nii… run…"_

_  
Gray eyes staring steadily into his own. "If you fail…"_

_  
"I won't fail," Ichigo heard himself answer. He meant it. He'd sworn it on his soul._

* * *

"GOOD MORNING ICHIGOOOOO!!!!!!!"

Ichigo didn't have time to think about it; he just reacted. His Dad usually started every morning by trying to attack him in his sleep. As always, the attempt was an epic fail – Ichigo snapped awake to find the old goat face under his feet.

And his father was alive and completely unscathed.

_  
What the hell?_

His sisters, thankfully, were much the same. Yuzu and Karin were completely healthy. Ichigo was already prepared to shrug the events of last night as a really bizaare dream. Maybe he was reading way too much shonen manga – his life was beginning to resemble one.

But there was that huge hole in their house. His Dad claimed that it was a truck – some kind of freak accident. The truck somehow lost its brakes and had barreled right into their clinic. Seriously, even if they were lucky enough to escape without a scratch, Ichigo found it hard to believe that all of them slept through something like that.

And Ichigo couldn't forget the samurai… no, the _shinigami_ he'd met last night. Had he already gone back to that Soul Society place?

Despite the gaping hole in their house, life went on as usual. Yuzu made them breakfast, Dad acted like a moron and Karin took over the job of managing their crazy father for the moment because Ichigo was really too out of it. It was an unspoken agreement between the elder sibling and the younger – he didn't even have to say anything . Although Ichigo knew Karin was sure to pester him about it later – it was hard to slip past her and if she brought Yuzu into the picture…

_  
Think of this as a very strange dream…_

Ichigo was about to take that piece of advice to heart, at least until he made it to class.

One look at their "new" classmate and Ichigo was suddenly, absolutely sure that his relatively normal life was over.

***

The girls…well, the straight ones anyway, were not-so-subtly going nuts over the new boy in class.

Arisawa Tatsuki had to admit, the guy _was_ pretty enough – he had long dark hair held back by a red ribbon with a stray lock not quite covering a slate-gray eye. Nice shoulders, held himself with an absolute air of authority and she knew he was fairly tall, taller than Ichigo even though no one was as tall as Chad. And he was pretty good at the whole mysterious and brooding thing, sitting quietly at his desk with a book open, paying absolutely no attention to the rest of the class.

"It's not fair!" Honsho Chizuru was pouting. "How dare he sully the love of pure innocent young girls?!"

Tatsuki rolled her eyes at the class' resident female pervert. "He's just sitting there, Chizuru – leave the guy alone."

"Exactly!" Chizuru exclaimed, slamming her book down on her desk. "He's a clever one, I swear. Sitting there, doing the whole tall, dark and handsome Edward Cullen thing… it's diabolical, I tell you! No girl could resist that! Thank Kami that _my_ Hime-chan is absolutely immune to his charms…"

Tatsuki snapped out an arm just as the crazy woman made a lunge at unsuspecting Inoue Orihime. She hadn't lost her touch; Chizuru was effectively squelched for the moment. Tatsuki had to hand it to her best friend though, who _was_ the only one not going all twitterpated over the new guy. Orihime was pretty loyal in her affections.

They were all centered solely on Kurosaki Ichigo.

The Berry-Head was late today. Despite the reputation, Tatsuki knew that it wasn't like Ichigo to skip class. And knowing Orihime, the red-haired girl was probably worried about him.

"Yo," Tatsuki greeted her. "Thinking about Ichigo again? He's late today."

Orihime gasped and blushed prettily. "No!"

Tatsuki shook her head. "Honestly, girl – you can't fool me with that. What on earth do you see in that idiot anyway? He's rude, immature and he's got that crazy head of hair… jeez, a girl with your… uh… _assets_ could do a hella lot better!" This last was aimed at Inoue's rather generous bosom, one of the main reasons why Chizuru just loved to perv on her.

Orihime scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well… let me think…"

Tatsuki braced herself for yet another Orihime gem.

Orihime beamed. "Um… I really, really like his scowl!"

Tatsuki almost fell over. Yep, even prepared, Orihime still had the power to floor her. "Say what?"

"Honest! I _love_ his scowl!" Orihime babbled happily, cheeks still stained pink. "Whenever I picture it… it's so funny!"

Given that Ichigo had a scowl that was guaranteed to frighten any so-called tough guy within a hundred miles, that was saying something. Honest-to-_Kami_, Orihime redefined the concept of _weird_ every single day.

"I don't think that Ichigo will come in today," Kojima Mizuiro volunteered. "They had a freak accident at his house last night. A truck ran into their clinic."

Orihime gasped.

"No way!" Tatsuki exclaimed. "Is he all right? And what about his sisters…"

"We're not dead, if that's what you're asking," drawled a familiar voice.

Orihime meeped and Tatsuki stifled a very undignified shriek. "Ichigo!!!!"

"I'm glad to see you're all right, Ichigo," Mizuiro could be counted on to say something perfectly sane in times like these.

"Thanks," Ichigo answered. "We're all right, a truck left a huge-ass hole in our clinic, but we're all okay. Happy?"

Tatsuki sniffed. "Idiot. Forgive us if we're just being good friends and are showing you some concern!"

Orihime couldn't talk; she was hiding behind Tatsuki right now, cheeks completely red now, staring up at Ichigo.

And then, an unfamiliar baritone voice joined their conversation. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

It was the new guy.

Mizuiro didn't miss a beat. "Oh. Have you two already met? This is Kuchiki Byakuya – he's a transfer student and just joined us today."

The look on Ichigo's face was interesting, to say the least. His jaw dropped, his eyes were saucer-wide and he held out a shaking hand.

Tatsuki frowned. What on earth was going on here?

One slim-fingered hand shot out and grabbed Ichigo's extended arm. Smoothly, the new guy – Kuchiki – stood up. "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I haven't any textbooks yet – I was wondering if I could borrow yours and perhaps you might show me around the school…"

And with that, he dragged an oddly not-protesting Ichigo out the door. Ichigo still looked like he was hit on the back of the head with a two by four.

The rest of the class stared.

Predictably, Chizuru was the first to break the silence. "Oh. My. God. You don't suppose Ichigo… and the Edward Cullen clone are…?" Her eyes began to shine. "Oh my… the sweet innocent love of two young boys…"

Orihime blushed and managed a strangled, "Eeep!"

Tatsuki's fist shot out and Chizuru was out for the count again. Although she had to admit that her own cheeks were burning as well.

Bad mental images. Very, very, very bad…

***

Contrary to the pictures provided through the respective perverted gutters that Ichigo's classmates had all fallen into, the Berry-Head and the Shinigami were in fact having a perfectly innocent conversation in the empty school yard. Although anyone listening in to said conversation would probably have been confused as all hell.

Ichigo had crossed his arms over his chest and was glaring at the other man. Without the funky hair clips and the samurai gear, Kuchiki Byakuya did a credible job of passing for an ordinary teenage boy, if albeit a remarkably cool and self-possessed one. At least, as long as one didn't look too closely into his eyes – not that Ichigo wanted to cultivate a habit of doing that. It was going to look seriously odd.

Anyway, Ichigo gave the stone-faced pretty boy the only question he could ask under the circumstances.

"What. The. Fuck?"

"I would appreciate it if you would not address me in such a vulgar manner," the Shinigami told him frostily.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Well, excuse me, Your Highness! What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be going back to that Soul Society place?"

"I can't go back there."

That brought Ichigo up short. "Why not?"

At that point, Byakuya's eyes flashed and Ichigo was oddly thankful to see some sort of expression on that calm face. "Because it's all your fault!"

Without giving Ichigo a chance to answer back, Byakuya took a step forward and Ichigo, who had never given way to any other guy in all his young life, found himself taking a step back for each time the other man moved. "You were supposed to only take half of my power but you, idiot boy, ended up taking _everything!_ Now, I'm in this _gigai –_"

"What's a _gigai?_" Ichigo interrupted him, brown eyes wide.

Byakuya didn't miss a beat. "It is a false body that we shinigami can use if we've lost our powers and I am trapped in this ridiculous thing until I regain them." He plucked at his school uniform in evident disgust, as if he were wearing nothing more than filthy rags.

"Okay – too bad, so sad, _hime_, so what's this got to do with me?"

Byakuya leveled a frosty glare at him and it took all of Ichigo's willpower not to start shivering in response. No way in hell would he give the arrogant priss the satisfaction. "I'm not a shinigami right now – _you_ are. So _you_ must take on the shinigami's duties…until I regain my own powers. Now do you understand?"

Ichigo understood _that_ just fine and he just had one answer for that. "Oh. Hell. No!"

He had the satisfaction of seeing the other man blink and stop short in obvious confusion. "What about last night?"

"What about it?" Ichigo countered. "Look, buddy – I was trying to save my family, okay? But I'm not going to be stupid enough to sacrifice myself for a buncha strangers!"

The other man closed his eyes for a moment, once again looking perfectly calm and composed. "I see." Gray eyes opened again and pinned Ichigo down. "I suppose yet another lesson is in order."

He seemed to blur out of Ichigo's sight for just one second and then, Ichigo found himself wearing the same black robes and hakama that the shinigami had on the night before last. And once again, he had that huge-ass sword on his back.

He also saw himself, in his own school uniform, lying senseless on the ground.

"What the hell – is that me? Oi, get up! Get up!" Ichigo had heard about out of body experiences but this was really too much. It was enough to freak any sane person out.

"That is merely your body – you need not concern yourself about that now," Byakuya answered coolly. He drew out a cell phone from his pocket, nodded to himself and then, casually snagged Ichigo's collar and proceeded to drag him along. "Come with me."

_  
Kami,_ but he was strong! Ichigo yelped and found himself unable to resist the other guy. "Oi! Put me down damn it! I can walk by myself!"

Eventually, he did manage to convince Byakuya to let him walk and he soon found himself standing with the other guy in the Yumizawa Children's Park.

"Why are we here?" Ichigo had to ask the question after standing there for almost 20 minutes in dead silence.

"Are there ghosts in this park?" Byakuya asked him, as if he were talking about nothing more than the weather.

Ichigo figured the arrogant priss was leading him up to something. "Yeah. I've seen him before. Little boy, about five years old or so. He plays in the park usually around this time. Mind answering _my _question next?"

"Orders from Soul Society just came in," Byakuya continued, still with that same unruffled calm. "A Hollow will appear in this park in about 5 minutes from now. As I've explained to you before – Hollows devour the souls of stray spirits." He slanted a look at Ichigo. "It will most likely devour the child."

Shit. Sure enough, the bone-chilling cry of a Hollow filled the air. Ichigo swore and prepared to drag his sword out from its sheath. He was stopped short by Byakuya's outstretched arm.

"Do not help the child," Byakuya told him coldly.

Ichigo stared at him in disbelief. "The fuck you're talking about? I can't just stand there and watch –"

"He is a complete stranger. He is nothing to you. Did you not say that you would not risk your life for one you do not know?"

Ichigo opened his mouth to object but the shinigami's words struck home. He stood there and he just couldn't look away from those intense gray eyes.

"We shinigami have a duty. We must be fair to all souls –we cannot save only the ones we see right in front of us or when it's convenient for us to do so. So do not dare help this child, not unless you can commit to this duty, Kurosaki Ichigo!

"Be willing to go anywhere, be willing to sacrifice yourself for them. Be willing to try and protect _all_ of them!"

The little boy ghost appeared now, running, screaming for help. The Hollow was just as monstrous as the first one he'd fought and it was gaining on the kid. Just a few more steps and the kid would have no chance at all.

Ichigo moved.

That huge sword should have been a bitch to swing but the weight seemed negligible to Ichigo. One blow, slicing the creature right down the middle and it was over.

"Onii-san?" Dirt and tear tracks smudged the kid's cheeks as he looked up at Ichigo. At the last moment he had stumbled and fallen and if Ichigo hadn't come in, he would have been gone for sure.

Shit. Change the hair color and Ichigo could have been looking at himself in the mirror, going back several years. He was just a little older than this brat when he'd lost his mother.

"Oi. Byakuya? "

"Yes?"

"If I do that _konso_ thing and send him to Soul Society, he'll be safe from those Hollow monsters, right?"

"Yes."

"All right." Ichigo turned his attention to the kid. "Hey – I gotta send you to a place where the monsters aren't gonna getcha anymore, okay?"

The trust on that kid's face was heartrending as he nodded eagerly. Ichigo could have taken his head off but he had the unsettling feeling that the little boy believed in him that much, that he really meant the little boy no harm. He'd seen Byakuya do this the first time around so he touched the hilt of his sword to the kid's forehead and watched him fade away.

He felt, rather than saw, Byakuya approach him. "So…. Kurosaki Ichigo, you've made your decision then."

That utterly cold and calm tone pissed him off. "Oh shut up!" Ichigo snarled. "I was here; I could help him! Quit it with the whole self-sacrifice and duty crap!"

He was pleased to see Byakuya's eyes widen just a little bit but otherwise his expression continued to maintain its tranquility. He really played that whole cool expressionless bit to the hilt. That pissed Ichigo off even more.

He threw out the challenge. "What are you gonna do about it, huh? And what about you? You almost became dinner for one of these things! Don't you tell me that _you_ just barged in _to save us_ - a buncha total strangers to you - all because of duty!

Ichigo continued on and this time, he was forcing Byakuya back, step by step. "You don't just sacrifice yourself out of duty! At least not in my book!" His tone grew quieter and this time, he looked the other man straight in the eye. "Look, I can't promise that I won't run like hell if things get too tough. I don't know if I can completely commit to this whole thing, sacrifice myself for someone I don't even know.

"But – I'm not a complete asshole. I know I owe you a huge debt… so I _will_ help you with the whole shinigami thing." Ichigo held out a hand . "Okay?"

The other man's lips quirked into a faint, amused little smile and he took Ichigo's hand in turn. A mutual agreement between the two of them, man to man. "It'll do, I suppose."

"Don't expect me to enjoy this," Ichigo warned him.

Byakuya chuckled softly and then looked surprised that he actually managed to do that. He shook his head. "You're not supposed to, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo sighed. And yeah, he had to get the last word in too. "Figured as much."

***

Back in the classroom, Chizuru was happily wandering in her personal mental gutter, conjuring up images of Byakuya and Ichigo and why it was taking them so long to get back to class. Looking back, it might have been better if she kept her fantasies to herself.

If Orihime could turn any redder, she would have rivaled a tomato by now.

Tatsuki wasn't doing so well either.

"Mou…." Orihime whimpered. "Ichigo isn't back yet…"

"Yeah," Chizuru said dreamily. "Isn't it wonderful?"

Tatsuki hid her heated face in her math book. "I'm going to kill him! AAAAARGH!!!!"

_  
-to be continued-_

* * *

**Author's Notes: ** I have a feeling this story is going to bring out who among the Bleach gang really have dirty minds (Stitch shakes her head reprovingly at the lot of them). Honestly, there ain't nothing going on between Ichigo and Byakuya.

(At least, not yet anyways – mwahahahahaha!)

You believe me, don't you, guys?

This chapter is dedicated to my friend, Queen Habibi. Naughty-naughty!

Just for the record, I don't think that Kuchiki Byakuya is an Edward Cullen clone. He may love the pink cherry blossoms but he does NOT sparkle in any way, okay? Let's just blame this on crazy Chizuru. :P Heh.


	3. Chapter 3

**Bleach Reloaded  
**_By Darth Stitch_

_Standard Disclaimers Apply_

**

* * *

  
EPISODE 3: Wherever You Will Go**

_And maybe, I'll find out  
The way to make it back someday  
To watch you, to guide you  
Through the darkest of your days  
If a great wave should fall  
It would fall upon us all  
Well I hope there's someone out there  
Who can bring me back to you__**  
**_

_If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go…  
_

- "Wherever You Will Go," The Calling

* * *

  
The dead do linger on, at least for a time.

They may stay for a while, to tidy up unfinished business, to say their last farewells to family and loved ones. It is a necessary thing, a human thing, this need to say goodbye.

This is a truth, no matter what the so-called skeptics say.

If they are fortunate, then the time of their lingering is mercifully short and their regrets are easily appeased, easy to let go of. They move on to their ultimate reward – whether it be rest or rebirth. Often, it is the shinigami's task to help them make that final journey.

And if they are not so lucky…

Here, see this ghost, wandering upon a place of eternal night, guided only by the light of a crescent moon. This moonlight is not the same as the one shining in the Living World. It is empty, devoid of all color - a deadlight.

The ghost does not float here – this is a spiritual plane, not a physical one. His feet sink upon the colorless sands, almost pulling him down with every step. He cannot afford that – he is trying to flee. He knows, without being told, that a fate far worse than death is chasing after him.

He is not fast enough. He is no shinigami, gifted with the ability to move with god-like speed or carrying a zanpakutou to fight his enemies with.

The Hollow are upon him. There is no reprieve for him, no mercy… he is as unfortunate in his afterlife as he was when he was living.

It only takes a few seconds for the Hollow to devour him.

***

Ichigo knew better than to disturb a master swordsman in the middle of _kata_.

There weren't many of these in the Living World now, Ichigo knew. It wasn't as if they were in the middle of the Bakumatsu and samurai walked the streets openly carrying their _daisho_. Those days belonged to the distant past.

Ichigo had been studying martial arts ever since he was a kid. There was a huge difference between fighting in a tournament – a _sport_ governed by judges and rules upon rules – and fighting for real with your life on the line. Fighting to protect someone or something and giving it everything you had.

Kuchiki Byakuya had honed his skills on the battlefield. It was evident in every move, every step, each swing of that sword, a beautiful, deadly dance of steel against flesh. Ichigo could see Byakuya's invisible opponents clearly – here a downwards slash to take off someone's arm, a step to the side to avoid another opponent's blade and taking off the poor bastard's head in another swift move. Ichigo's mind could paint in the blood and the dead bodies at the other man's feet.

It should have scared the shit out of him.

But somehow, he wasn't frightened, not at all. And he couldn't take his eyes off the sight.

He could tell that the shinigami wasn't really fighting at his full strength and felt oddly guilty. Looking back, he'd probably gotten in Byakuya's way when that Hollow had appeared. In the silence of his mind, Ichigo could admit the truth to himself – he couldn't trust the welfare of his sisters and his father to a complete stranger. He'd sworn that he wouldn't fail them, not like he'd failed his Mom…

"Kurosaki Ichigo," an increasingly familiar baritone intruded on his thoughts.

"Yo," Ichigo answered. "I said you could drop the last name, Byakuya. It's just Ichigo, y'know?"

The arrogant priss naturally looked disdainful at the very idea. "It is rather difficult to break a lifetime of good manners and proper conduct."

Ichigo snorted. "Please. You sound like an old man – if you wanna pass for a teenager, you'd better ditch that prissy attitude. You don't look that much older than me – you can't have been a grown-up that long."

Byakuya sniffed. "I was to be the next head of my house – I didn't have time for such foolishness when I was that age."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head, trying to repress any comments about poor little rich boys. He'd seen how good Byakuya was with that sword – he rather liked his life as it was right now. "You're hanging around me now and you're supposed to be my age as of the moment. Tell you what – I'll teach you how to forget being a grown-up while you're around here just like you're showing me the ropes on the whole shinigami thing. Deal?"

Byakuya was obviously pretending to consider this for a moment before giving in with an exasperated sigh. "Your proposal is not without merit."

"Proposal?" Ichigo sputtered. "Hey, don't go getting any weird ideas here –"

Byakuya continued serenely. "You cannot just run around with that oversized kitchen cleaver that you call a sword. That is why I asked you to meet me here. You need lessons in the basics of swordsmanship."

Ichigo beamed. "Cool."

The other man blinked. Ichigo was beginning to figure out those brief flashes of expression on the normally collected man's face. "Cool?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You gotta ditch the dictionary when you're talking or people are gonna look at you weird. I mean – _I _get it, because I like to read and all but honest to _Kami_, buddy, kids our age are gonna think you're whacked or something. Okay?"

More blinking. "Whacked…?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Um. I'll lend you my manga when we're done so you can see how people talk now. I don't want you to read any of the creepy shit they've got sometimes… it'll scar you for life, I swear…"

***

Byakuya didn't want to admit it to himself but training Ichigo had quickly passed from being a chore and was actually quite…_fun_.

The boy was a quick study, picking up the basics and performing the moves flawlessly after a demonstration or two. His martial arts background probably helped in this – his speed, agility and coordination would be the envy of any of his newer subordinates. Byakuya had heard that most of the ancient arts of war in this world had been reduced to the level of a mere game for most ordinary humans. Ichigo did not treat any of what he was taught as a game – Byakuya suspected that Ichigo had to use his skills for the real thing on more than one occasion.

He was quietly amused at the boy's reaction when he told him that the best way to get Hollows was to hit them from behind, precisely on the head with one swift blow. There was no such thing as _bushido_ when dealing with the creatures. He was pleased to see that Ichigo's sense of honor was so deeply ingrained but he'd best make sure that the boy dropped those foolish notions when it came to Hollows immediately or he'd get himself killed…

"HI ICHIGOOOOO!!!!!"

It took every ounce of self-discipline that Byakuya had not to jump out of his skin when that red-haired girl suddenly appeared. Ichigo wasn't so lucky.

"Inoue!" Ichigo gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm getting dinner!" she chirped happily. "I got leeks, butter, bananas and my favorite bean jam jelly!"

Byakuya blinked at the odd combination of foods. What on earth was she planning to make with that? On second thought, perhaps it was better not to know, judging from the look on Ichigo's face.

"So what are you doing here, Ichigo?" she asked and apparently, at that point, she noticed Byakuya standing there. Dove-gray eyes went wide. "Oh, it's you! Hi, Byakuya!"

She knew him? Byakuya searched his memory and remembered that she had to be one of Ichigo's classmates.

Ichigo nudged him with an elbow. "Idiot. She's Inoue Orihime, one of the girls in our class!"

Byakuya shot him a reproving glare. He wasn't so crass as to embarrass a young lady. "Hello. A pleasure to meet you."

She blushed prettily and even managed a graceful curtsy worthy of any court lady. What else could he do but bow formally in return? He was vaguely aware of Ichigo rolling his eyes in the background and that muttered, "Oh you've GOT to be kidding me…"

Okay, this time he just couldn't resist twitting Ichigo about this. It was just too much fun. "I told you, it's hard to break a lifetime of formal manners."  
Ichigo ran his hands through that unruly hair in that gesture that Byakuya had begun to understand translated to "Fine – I give up!" Wisely choosing to drop the subject, the orange-haired boy turned his attention to the girl.

"Hey, what happened to your arm?" Ichigo asked.

The girl's arm was bandaged. "Oh, this?" Orihime just laughed it off. "I had an accident last night. I was getting juice and a car ran over me!"

Okay, now _that_ left him as boggled as Ichigo, who wasn't above showing it openly. "A car? What the fu--, I mean, what the hell, Inoue!"

"It's nothing!" The girl answered, waving her hands. "It happens to me all the time! I guess I'm just accident-prone these days."

"You could've been killed!"

"Well, the driver didn't mean to run me over!"

Were it anyone else but that odd, red-haired girl, Byakuya would have suspected abuse of some sort. But a lifetime of leading men and women into battle taught him how to read people fairly well and he knew that the girl wasn't lying. And then, something else caught his attention.

"Orihime-chan," Byakuya said gently, the diminutive for the girl coming easily to his lips. "That bruise on your leg – would you mind if I took a closer look at it?"

Again, she blushed. "Um… sure."

He got on his knees and examined the bluish-black mark on her skin. Predictably, she grew uncomfortable with the scrutiny and clutched at her skirt. He repressed a sigh – it was a tricky thing to deal with young women. It wasn't as if he was some pervert…

He didn't blame Ichigo for hovering protectively either. "Byakuya…" The other boy began threateningly.

"It looks rather painful," Byakuya said. "Did you also get this from the accident last night?"

She nodded. "Uh-huh! In fact, my leg hurts worse than my arm!"

Ichigo frowned. "You should get that checked out. Want to come to the clinic with me?"

She laughed weakly. "Oh no! I'm fine, honest! I'd better get home – it's getting late."

Ichigo wasn't letting this go. That protective nature was a credit to him – Byakuya understood it perfectly. "Want me to walk you home?"

"I would be pleased to do so as well," Byakuya added. He could do no less than Ichigo.

The silly girl got even more flustered. "Oh, really, I don't want to bother you two. I'll be fine!" And then, to emphasize her point, she started moving. "See you guys tomorrow!"

"See ya!" Ichigo waved. Byakuya copied him, a bit awkwardly. Ichigo was right – he did have to act a little bit closer to their age or this whole sorry business would be all for nothing.

"That girl," Ichigo sighed. "She's really good at the books but no common sense at all."

"I can see that," Byakuya remarked. That bruise on her leg… Byakuya could sense the traces of spiritual energy on it, that unmistakable malice…

No help for it. He had to ask. "Ichigo…does that girl have any family to take care of her?"

The other boy gave him a strange look. "Huh? Why are you asking?"

He shook his head impatiently. "Just answer the question. It's important."

"Well…" Ichigo took a deep breath, obviously trying to gather his thoughts. "See, she had an older brother. He was her only family. He died three years ago."

Ichigo told him about how the older brother had been caught in a car accident. It was Orihime who had brought her brother to their clinic for treatment. But the Kurosaki Clinic was a small practice and it didn't have the equipment to treat the young man, who died while he was being transferred to one of the bigger hospitals.

No, Byakuya didn't like the picture he was beginning to see from the information he was getting. Not one bit.

"What's with the questions?" Ichigo was now asking him. "You like her or something?"

He snorted. "Don't be ridiculous."

Ichigo shrugged. "Figured as much. Well?"

"None of your concern." He left as quickly as he could, leaving a fuming Ichigo behind. His speed was nowhere near _shunpo_ in this body but it would suffice for the moment.

***

Ichigo had a point when he said that "normal" was overrated in his home.

Sitting quietly on the roof of Ichigo's house, Byakuya mulled over the day's events and listened in on what was happening in the Kurosaki home. He'd been camped out on Ichigo's roof for the past few days now – thank _Kami_ for the mild weather. Really, his situation was quite ridiculous – he had to find appropriate living quarters soon, preferably near Ichigo. As a Shinigami Captain, he had funds enough to last him for at least four months – Ukitake had really expected that Byakuya would be spending quite some time interacting with ordinary humans. The 13th Division Captain had factored the use of a _gigai_ into Byakuya's budget and the need to establish a temporary place to live.

In effect this really had been meant to be a working vacation of sorts for Byakuya – poor Ukitake-senpai probably didn't expect _how_ things would turn out though.

Byakuya wasn't used to the regular commotion that went on in the Kurosaki household. The place did have that clinic downstairs so patients wandered in and out all the time. Every now and then there was a genuine emergency that they had to deal with. There was Ichigo's father, Isshin, who Byakuya was quite certain was stark raving mad, with all of his childish antics. Frankly, Byakuya suspected that there had to be some sort of method behind the madness but only _Kami_ knew what that was.

In contrast, Byakuya had grown up in relative peace and quiet, at least as long as that blasted Yoruichi wasn't around to tease him. His parents had died when he was quite young and he had been mostly raised by his grandfather, although there were trusted servants who had looked after him when he was little. The responsibility of eventually becoming head of the clan and following his grandfather Ginrei's footsteps into the Sixth Division had been impressed on him practically from the moment he was old enough to walk.

"Ichi-nii!" That affectionate nickname was often on the lips of Ichigo's younger sisters. Yuzu was the sweet-natured one of the family, trying to fill the place of their lost mother. Karin seemed to be the one who was most like Ichigo, fiercely independent. The three siblings often took turns helping in the clinic – Ichigo ended up doing most of the heavier physical jobs while the sisters were assigned to nursing duties.

It was to Ichigo that the younger sisters went to with most of their day-to-day concerns because Isshin was guaranteed to blow everything all out of proportion. Yuzu especially had an amazing ability to wheedle whatever she wanted out of her older brother – at least as long as it seemed to be within reason anyway.

This sense of closeness was completely alien to Byakuya – he couldn't quite imagine Rukia acting in that way. Karin was the sister that reminded him of Rukia the most except that her own bond with Ichigo was just as close as Yuzu's.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo could be heard yelling. "Have you seen my pyjamas?"

"Did you check the laundry, Ichi-nii?"

"They're new – they shouldn't even be in the laundry yet!"

Byakuya made a mental note to find a real place to live and to get more clothes first thing in the morning. And yes, he would replace the garments he "borrowed" from Ichigo. Ichigo _had_ ended up "borrowing" something far more valuable than sleepwear from Byakuya but this sort of thing still didn't sit well with him. He sighed.

Byakuya's thoughts turned towards Inoue Orhime. Her situation troubled him in particular. The Shinigami captain recognized all of the signs – it was only a matter of time before…

The beeping of his soul phone made him snap back to attention. Byakuya flipped it open, already half-expecting what he would find.

Oh. Hell.

Swearing with a fluency that would probably have shocked his vice-captain Renji, Byakuya leapt down from the roof and slid the window to Ichigo's room open. It was a small miracle that the glass didn't break.

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo reacted predictably. "Byakuya! What the fuck – hey, are those _my_ pyjamas!"

Byakuya didn't have time to argue about sleepwear with him. He simply pulled the skull glove over his hand and knocked Ichigo's soul out of his body.

"The Hollow is here."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when an enormous clawed hand emerged out of Ichigo's bed. The Hollow still retained some of its human characteristics. In retrospect, it was probably the reason why Ichigo recognized the creature after his first, startled blow only resulted in a partial breaking of the Hollow's mask. The Hollow fled and Byakuya had a suspicion on where it would be headed next.

"We need to go," he told Ichigo.

"That's Orihime's brother!" Ichigo exclaimed.

Byakuya really wished he wasn't right on this one. "I don't have time to explain this moment – we must leave _now_." This last was delivered in that unmistakable tone of authority that even Renji didn't dare disobey.

Damn the boy for his insolence and obstinacy. _"Make_ time," Ichigo gritted out.

He thought he had enough practice dealing with hard-headed fools like Renji – _Kami_ help him, Ichigo was far worse. "I told you this afternoon – you take a Hollow down by aiming for its head, in one single blow. One blow to kill them, one blow so that you never learn its human identity!"

"What?!" Ichigo was aghast.

"Hollows were all human once. They are fallen souls – the souls who were never guided to Soul Society by a shinigami, the souls who were left behind, the souls who weren't saved from other Hollows. When they fall, they lose their hearts and the first thing they attack are their families, because they're trying to fill that empty space where their hearts used to be."

Horror filled Ichigo's eyes. "Orihime…"

"Ichigo – we must go _now_, unless you truly wish to let your friend die…"

Ichigo needed no further urging.

***

They had barely made it in time.

At first glance, Byakuya steeled himself for the absolute worst. Ichigo's other classmate – that girl Tatsuki already lay bloody on the floor. Orihime's own soul had already been knocked out of her body – it was a miracle that the chain of fate binding her body and spirit together hadn't been severed.

Byakuya had tried his best to make Ichigo understand what he needed to do in their rush to get to Orihime's home. Byakuya had seen this before in other new shinigami, when they first really began to understand exactly what Hollows were. If they couldn't get past it, they didn't last long.

Byakuya had no intention of seeing Ichigo walk down the same path.

But as expected, Ichigo had difficulty taking the creature down. On his first attempt, he'd been thrown out of Orihime's house, going right through the gaping hole that had been one of the windows. The Hollow proved to be unexpectedly tricky, apparently able to shoot acid out of its mouth.

Byakuya braced himself, hating that feeling of unexpected helplessness, as he ran to Ichigo's side. He had only begun to recover his abilities – he probably just had enough to cast healing kido but he was nowhere near fighting condition. Never in all of his long life had he been in such a position, forced to trust in the abilities of a boy who'd been a shinigami for a scant few days, when he'd always prided himself on his own strength.

Ichigo was breathing heavily, unable to meet Byakuya's eyes, waiting for the expected rebuke. "I'm sorry. He's different… I hesitated."

It would be so easy to lose his temper and yell at Ichigo for making such a beginner's mistake when he could ill afford it, when Orihime's very existence hung in the balance. But Byakuya had led men for more years than Ichigo had been alive and he'd long left behind the hot-headed youth he used to be. This wasn't what the boy needed now.

Byakuya placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders, forcing Ichigo to look at him. "Ichigo. You cannot lose this. If you do, he will devour Orihime's soul."

Brown eyes met gray, filled with new determination. Ichigo nodded and threw himself back into the fray, jumping back into Orihime's house. Using the drain pipe, Byakuya easily climbed up after him.

The Hollow had retained its human memories but they were degraded down to the most base and depraved of desires. It was raving as it clutched the soul of the red-haired girl. "How do you think I became this thing? It was all your fault, little sister! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

Ichigo learned incredibly quickly. With a speed and grace that did Byakuya proud, he was able to slice away the Hollow's hands, freeing Orihime.

The Hollow screamed in agony.

"Big brothers," Ichigo said suddenly. "You know why they're born first? It's to protect the little ones who come after them! What kind of brother says he'll kill his own sister? Even a monster shouldn't say that!"

_Big brothers…_ Byakuya would never have wasted speech on the creatures but incredibly, Ichigo's words seemed to affect the Hollow, waking its human memories.

The shinigami captain tried not to think of how the younger man's words had hit home for him as well.

"I raised Orihime! I protected her! She's mine!" The Hollow screamed. "No one can have her, least of all you, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"Orihime belongs to no one but herself!" Ichigo retorted.

"Her soul is mine! I lived for her! If she will not live for me, then she will die for me!"

The creature lunged. And then, in the most incredibly courageous act that Byakuya had ever seen, he saw Orihime rush to the Hollow and _throw her arms around it._ She held him close, not caring that the monster's teeth had sunk into her shoulder, drawing blood, that her upper torso was practically in its mouth and that all the thing needed to do was clench its jaw and she would be dead.

He and Ichigo could only stand there in stunned silence as Orihime spoke tenderly to the creature. "I'm sorry, Sora-nii-chan. I didn't want you to see my sadness or feel my pain. So I just shared the fun things, the happy things. I shared my happiness with you because I didn't want you to suffer for me."

She drew back and smiled up at the Hollow that had once been her brother, tears in her eyes. "I had no idea that it made you feel lonely. I'm sorry I hurt you. I love you, Sora-nii…"

And then, mercifully, she slumped to the floor, unconscious.

"Orihime!" Ichigo cried out.

"She can still be saved," Byakuya told him. "The _Inga no Kusari_ – the chain of fate – is still attached to her body. I can use my kido to save her." He would drain himself of all power if it was necessary – it was the only thing he could think of to honor her extraordinary courage.

The amazing thing was that the girl's bravery had managed to bring back the Hollow's sanity. "Orihime… my baby sister…" Tenderly, the creature extended a claw to touch her hair, pausing to lightly tap the flower-shaped hairpin at her temple.

"She told me that you gave her that," Ichigo told the Hollow quietly. "She still wears it every day. It's always the same, you know – the people who die and those who get let behind – they always feel alone. You were so caught up in your own loneliness that you forgot all about hers."

Byakuya couldn't help it – just for a brief moment, he closed his eyes, the thought of Hisana an all too familiar ache in his heart.

"She hated them at first," the Hollow said reflectively. "I thought she threw them away." It raised its hand to its face.

And with one swift move, it ripped its mask away. Byakuya could not believe it, staring at the all too human face of the Hollow.

Ichigo was equally shocked. "What are you doing?"

"If I stay as I am," the Hollow… no, _Inoue Sora, _answered, "I might attack Orihime again. So while I have this moment of sanity, I want to pass on…"

"But why…?" Ichigo had still so much to learn.

"He's right, Ichigo," Byakuya told him quietly, coming over to kneel beside Orihime and check on her. "Hollows can never go back. To reap Hollows doesn't mean we kill them – we simply free them of their sins. Our zanpakutou cleanses them so they can enter Soul Society.

"That is why we shinigami exist. It is part of our duty."

Inoue Sora had a moment, just one, to bid his sister farewell. And perhaps it was Kami's grace that Orihime was conscious just long enough to see it.

Not that she would retain any conscious recollection of the whole event. Byakuya had to use the Kioku-Chikan to replace Orihime's memories. He'd used the memory-replacement device on Ichigo's own family. But as he explained to Ichigo, they didn't really have any control over the new memories – the things being random as they were.

***

Byakuya just didn't expect Orihime's imagination to be so wild.

Honestly – yakuza gunmen blasting a hole in her wall? Mercifully, Tatsuki had been unconscious during the whole ordeal so she could do nothing more than smile weakly and shrug her shoulders when the rest of the class asked her to corroborate the story.

"Yakuza gunman?" The look on Ichigo's face was indescribable as they stood off at a discreet distance, letting the rest of the class flock all over the two girls.

Byakuya sighed. "I told you – we have no control over those memories."

_"Yakuza gunman?"  
_  
"It's _her_ imagination, not mine."

Ichigo ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever. Oh, by the way, Byakuya…"

"Yes?"

"Don't camp out on my roof. Geez, you _could_ stay in my room, you know."

"…"

"Just don't let the old goat or my sisters see you or they'll end up thinking all sorts of crazy stuff. There's a futon in my closet. It's a hella lot better than staying on my roof."

"…" Byakuya was completely mortified when Ichigo had to wave his hand in front of his eyes. He'd been so floored by the offer that he really didn't know what to say.

Brown eyes crinkled mischievously. "Yo, Kuchiki-_hime_."

"Stop calling me that!" Byakuya blurted before he could stop himself. Oh _Kami-sama_ help him, he sounded just like that whenever Yoruichi took it upon himself to torture him when he was a boy…

Ichigo adopted a mock air of gravity. "'Thank you' is the formally polite answer for something like this. Thought they taught you all that in princess school or something."

Byakuya huffed, trying to recover himself. "Idiot."

"You're welcome." Ichigo smirked. "See? You're learning, Byakushi."

Clearly, Ichigo intended to take the business of teaching Byakuya how to pull off a credible impression of a teenage boy quite seriously. "Forget about being a grown-up" was how Ichigo had put it.

Byakuya should have been horrified at the prospect.

Oddly enough, it wasn't as frightening as he thought it would be.

_-to be continued-_

**

* * *

  
Author's Notes:**

**About Isshin – **Not much is known about Isshin's background as Shinigami. We know that he's good friends with Uryuu Ishida's father Ryuken and that he apparently knows Urahara. We know he is a Shinigami Captain, although it's not known which division he came from. We definitely don't see any sign of him in the Turn Back the Pendulum arc, even during the time Byakuya was still a kid and his grandfather was still the captain of the Sixth Division.

I have my own theories about Isshin and his exile and we know that Bleach has gaps in canon that have yet to be explained. So for now, whenever I encounter canon gaps like this one, it's time to tapdance around it. For the purposes of my story, Kurosaki Isshin's time as a Shinigami captain was well before Byakuya's birth so our favorite Sixth Division grouch won't recognize him, okay?

**About Byakuya – **Like I mentioned, some things in this AU are definitely going to be different. Rukia is an unseated Shinigami and her original mission was meant to be a routine one. She probably just had enough funds for the basic necessities but she definitely didn't expect all the expenses she would have had to incur at Urahara's shop because of the unexpected trouble she found herself in. Byakuya's a captain – he would get more money and plus, hey, Ukitake _was_ pushing for him to get a vacation of sorts.

No, I just can't imagine Byakuya living in Ichigo's closet. I don't know how the hell Rukia managed it the first time without being caught but I'm sure that His Snootiness would prefer camping out to that. As for you folks in the Peanut Gallery out there, please reserve any comments about having Byakuya and Ichigo sharing the same bed (hentais!!!) for later. Heh. So a nice futon on the floor will do for our snooty prince, okay?

Inevitably, I know some of you are going to ask about a Certain McGuffin (*coughHogyokucough*). Be patient. Just remember – Byakuya isn't Rukia. Half the fun of this is figuring out how it's going to turn out with Byakuya in the picture!


	4. Chapter 4

**Bleach Reloaded  
**_By Darth Stitch_

_  
Standard Disclaimers Apply_

_

* * *

  
_

**EPISODE 4: Sweet Child of Mine **

_  
She's got a smile that it seems to me  
__Reminds me of childhood memories  
Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky_

_Now and then when I see her face  
__She takes me away to that special place  
And if I stared too long  
I'd probably break down and cry_

_Oh, sweet child o' mine  
Oh, sweet love of mine_

- "Sweet Child of Mine," Guns N'Roses

Having a prissy shinigami for a roommate took some getting used to.

It wasn't that Byakuya was a pain the ass to be around – he wasn't kidding when he said he'd been raised with formal manners. He was quiet and orderly and non-demanding – the perfect houseguest, in fact. Mothers everywhere (plus Yuzu) would love him. Thing was, Ichigo was fairly protective of his own personal space and he'd always been thankful that he was "nii-san" to two sisters, instead of an annoying pest of a brother. Still, he figured he'd get used to this, eventually.

It was funny how they quickly got into a routine – get home from school, get dinner, sneak some up to Byakuya and get homework done (and predictably, Byakuya wasn't a slouch in the brains department – he just needed some help on the whole modern world thing). Then, it was bedtime and for once, Ichigo could claim that he really needed the sleep because it was a school night and no, Goat-Face, he didn't need any additional training before saying "nighty-night." Sheesh.

Byakuya talked in his sleep.

Not that Byakuya did a lot of the whole sleeping thing. Ichigo knew the other man dreamed sometimes – bad dreams or bad memories from the sound of it. He'd mutter unintelligibly and toss and turn and sometimes, he would speak a name.

_Hisana_.

And there was a whole world of grief with the speaking of that one single name – Ichigo would have to be completely and utterly stone-cold not to figure it out. And then, a scant few minutes later, Byakuya would wake, draw a ragged breath and then slip quietly out of the room. Had Ichigo been any other person, he probably would never have noticed it – the man was good at the whole stealth thing and he could have just slept on all unknowing.

The first few nights, Ichigo had let it pass – whoever that Hisana was and whatever the source of the sorrow with her, it was something obviously very private and he wasn't about to intrude on that.

Problem was, Ichigo had never been able to stand by while someone was obviously in pain. So this particular night with Byakuya doing the same exact thing, Ichigo couldn't stand it anymore. He waited for a few more moments when the other man had slipped out the window and then, sighed loudly and got out of bed.

He was careful not to trip himself on the futon. Just one more thing to grab and Ichigo was ready.

Really, Byakuya was awfully fond of staying out on his roof.

The shinigami just sat back, quietly watching the stars. For once, he didn't resemble some marble statue – he looked tired, very young, wistful and oddly vulnerable.

He was startled when Ichigo handed him some warm milk in a spill-proof mug.

"You look like you need it," Ichigo said simply.

Byakuya regarded the milk with an almost comical expression – Ichigo was oddly reminded of a kitten encountering its very first ball of yarn. The Berry head tried not to grin and no, the word "cute" certainly wasn't crossing his mind, no sir. Plus, a guy just wouldn't tag that word on another guy – that was kinda weird.

"Sometimes, all you just need is a mug of warm milk… at least that's what my mother used to say," Ichigo told him, feeling awfully stupid and sheepish about the whole thing.

"Your mother," Byakuya said finally, "must have been a very wise woman. And very special."

"She's my Mom," Ichigo shrugged. "Drink up – I can at least heat milk, y'know?"

"Thank you," Byakuya said finally, taking a sip.

And then, he smiled - a small, almost shy curving of his lips but was unmistakably the real thing. For some reason, that was enough for Ichigo.

***

Byakuya had that same "kitten-with-ball-of-yarn" look on his face again.

Ichigo coughed, trying to hold back laughter, because this time it was over a tetra pack of a popular juice drink. "Dude, don't they have juice packs where you come from? You know, punch in hole with straw and sip?"

The shinigami's head shot up and immediately, Ichigo was treated to that familiar frosty stare. "I have absolutely no idea what you're babbling about."

Suppressing a sigh, Ichigo took the tetra pack, exagerratedly demonstrated how to put the straw in and handed it back to the other guy. "There. Try it now."

A first tentative sip and then, the kitten-look was back, only it was more of a "contented kitten with saucer of milk" expression now. Ichigo found himself shaking his head. Go figure.

"ICHIGOOOOO!!!!!"

And here Ichigo thought they were going to have a few more minutes of peace and quiet up here on the school roof. With well practiced ease, Ichigo stepped to one side to avoid the incoming glomp from Asano Keigo.

"Dude! You've brought the transfer student to our sacred shrine of manliness!" Keigo gushed.

"It must be love," observed Mizuiro more sedately but with an unmistakably mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You're always together these days."

Ichigo blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Keigo glared. "Mizuiro, buddy, don't corrupt the innocent. One Chizuru is more than enough!"

"Hello, Kuchiki-kun," said Mizuiro, obediently switching to something more sensible.

"Hello," Byakuya answered tentatively after getting a Look from Ichigo, which had gone unseen by the other boys.

"I missed out on all the excitement! Don't be a stranger, Ichigo-kun! Introduce me!" Keigo cried.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and did the introductions as asked. "Y'think you can keep it down, Keigo? I don't think they heard you in China."

"What?" Keigo said, putting a companionable arm over Byakuya's shoulders. "We should be so lucky to have a chick-magnet of a friend like Byakuya-kun over here." And to the dark-haired boy, Keigo continued. "This here is a sacred brotherhood you've been inducted into, my friend. Perhaps, with your help, I might finally have a chance at sweet Orihime-chan…"

Byakuya stared at him bemusedly for a few minutes and then carefully extricated himself from under Keigo's arm. "I'm honored?"

Ichigo snorted. "Don't worry, Byakuya – he's just the resident nut in this group. We're not all like that."

"Whaaaat?!!! I _resent_ that remark, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

"Resemble it, more like."

A well-placed knee against Keigo's back suddenly and violently knocked him over.

"What the fu—"

And then, came trouble.

The curse died on Keigo's lips as he looked up to one of Karakura High School's resident juvenile delinquents. "Oshima! You're off suspension!"

"I ain't talkin' to ya, maggot," was the answer. The bully pushed his ugly face into Ichigo's line of vision. "Yo, Kurosaki. When're ya gonna dye that carrot-piss hair black, eh? Y'got no orignality, tryin' to look like me."

Ichigo scoffed. He heard this kind of thing all the time and it got old, it really did. "Like I keep telling you, this is my natural hair color. And I can at least look in a mirror without breaking the damn thing. So piss off, ya drama queen."

"Ehhhhh?"

Keigo inevitably tried to intervene, heading off the inevitable fight. Ichigo didn't want to waste his breath. It wasn't his fault nature decided to play a joke on him with the hair. He'd learned early on that it was either he nipped these things in the bud or he'd have to deal with more hassle than he wanted.

So Ichigo easily dodged out of the way of Oshima and his brass knuckles but the jerk decided that Ichigo wasn't going to be his only target.

"Hey, who's the pretty boy, Kurosaki? Your girlfriend?" He took a swing at Byakuya, who had been quietly sipping his juice box the entire time.

For about half a second, Ichigo was worried. Just about half a second. But this was Byakuya, after all, and he'd simply flitted out of the way, allowing Oshima to nearly fall flat on his face. And Ichigo had to hand it to the other guy – he simply looked down his aristocratic nose at Oshima as if he were some particularly disgusting specimen of insect and went back to sipping his juice.

"Oi!" Ichigo hollered. Byakuya had some nice moves but from their last encounter with the Hollow, he knew that the shinigami was far from being 100%. "Stop goofing around and fight _me_!"

The bully wasn't listening. His friends were also preparing to corner Keigo and Mizuiro – oh hell, this was going to get ugly.

And then, salvation.

Just as Oshima tried to chase after a gibbering Keigo, he was sent flying across the roof. Ichigo grinned. He only knew one guy who could really pack a punch like that.

"Yo, Chad!"

Yasutora Sado or Chad, as most everyone else called him, was a huge, hulking half-Mexican, half Japanese. Ichigo trusted him to have his back in a fight any day of the week. "Yo, Strawberry."

Chad's mere presence was enough to scare off Oshima and his cronies. Funny thing was, Chad was just another quiet guy, trying to mind his own business. He packed a helluva punch though. And for all his strength with his fists, he had a soft spot about several miles wide, especially for the cute and cuddly.

Case in point was that pink-cheeked parakeet he brought in. Which introduced itself as Shibata Yuichi in a little boy's voice.

Keigo and Mizuiro were definitely fascinated but looking at that bird raised all the hairs on the back of Ichigo's neck. What the hell?

"There's something there," murmured Byakuya to him. "It's probably just a lonely soul. Harmless, for the moment."

"But we gotta do the _konso_ thing on it, right?" Ichigo whispered back.

The shinigami nodded. "If we leave it alone – it _will_ turn into a Hollow eventually. Or become bait for one. It's for the best." There was a definite gleam of approval in those gray eyes. "You're learning, Ichigo."

Ichigo scoffed, trying to ignore the fact that he felt oddly warmed by that. "Huh."

And then, Chad mentioned that the bird was supposed to be cursed. That all the bird's owners had died in a mysterious or just plain bizaare fashion. And he himself had already been involved in a couple of accidents. Ichigo knew that Chad was crazy strong but this was ridiculous.

He had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a hell of a lot more complicated than he thought.

***

It was official – Kurosaki Ichigo's life was now something out of a shonen manga, anime series to come soon.

First, there was that huge car accident that had thrown the entire Kurosaki Family Clinic into full-on Defcon 3. For once, Isshin had laid off the whole goofball act and barked orders and thrown himself into the treatment of patients like the skilled doctor that he actually was.

Second, they brought in Chad, who was apparently had been unlucky enough to be caught in that exact same accident. Somehow, he'd managed to hold on to his new little feathered pet and kept it safe. Honestly, Ichigo didn't expect anything else – Chad was funny like that. For such a big guy, he had the softest heart in the world.

The wound on his back was just plain nasty and it was a testament to Chad's crazy-ass strength that he wasn't dead. But that wound wasn't the least of Ichigo's worries.

Byakuya confirmed it too. "His wound absolutely reeks of Hollow."

"It's gotta have something to do with that bird!" Ichigo said, running his hands through his hair in sheer exasperation. His radar for this kind of thing was pretty damn good and yeah, he could tell the bird itself was harmless. Even if it was a bit creepy, the way it sounded exactly like a little boy. Still, there had to be something to that so-called curse, Ichigo just knew it.

Third, one would expect that a grievously injured person would have the sense to lie down and _rest. _No such fucking luck. After breakfast, with Yuzu telling him that Karin wasn't feeling too well, which was one more additional worry – his Dad found that Chad had disappeared from his hospital bed.

Which pretty much had Ichigo running all over Karakura town, trying to find his idiot friend. Chad was definitely being targeted by a Hollow – Ichigo would figure out what the hell that bird had to do with it later but he had to save his friend first.

***

"The problem with Hollow is that they hide within the dimensions between this world and Soul Society," Byakuya was explaining to Ichigo much later, as they met up on a street corner. "We can only sense it when it comes back into this world to attack Chad."

The shinigami captain did not want to sound discouraging but they were just pretty much running about in circles at this point. Not for the first time, Byakuya wished that his powers were fully restored to him. He could feel them slowly returning, day by day, but he was deathly afraid that the time would come when he would truly need those abilities and if they were out of his reach, someone would die.

He fervently prayed that it would not be Ichigo. Ichigo's ability to learn certainly was a pleasant surprise but the boy's power was only borrowed and he was being asked to do tasks that took years of training for most shinigami. While he might make a fine shinigami once he entered Soul Society with that natural strength, Byakuya certainly wanted Ichigo to eventually go back to his normal human life.

"Isn't there any other way we can track him?" Ichigo asked hopefully, as if he held all the answers.

Byakuya wished he did have them. "For now, we are as most Shinigami – waiting for orders from Soul Society before we can act." There were other ways, things that Byakuya could have done had he the full range of his powers but there wasn't much point in mentioning them now.

Ichigo exclaimed. "The parakeet! Maybe I can trace the aura of the spirit inside it!"

Before Byakuya could tell Ichigo that this should be impossible for him, the orange-haired boy just closed his eyes and _reached _out…

Byakuya could still sense it – the rise of Ichigo's own power, the _reiraku _slowly beginning to form around him in its most familiar form of white ribbons. It shouldn't have been possible – the spirit in that bird was meshed too closely to the spirit of the real animal and the distance alone was too great. It should not have been possible for any ordinary human, let alone a typical shinigami.

_Reiraku_ – visualizing the spirit's aura as those white ribbons and following them – an ability that only high-level shinigami could do. The shinigami captain could have done it, were he fully restored but _Ichigo? _

And yet, Ichigo's hand shot out, grabbing one of the wildly dancing threads and with a wide manic grin exclaimed, "Found him! This way!"

Byakuya found himself shaking his head. Ichigo's abilities were growing at an unbelievable rate. And it was getting easier to trust in the strength of this boy and just believe that they would get through this whole sorry mess alive. The shinigami captain was beginning to learn that there was something about the younger man that inspired this remarkable faith. And he he'd never been one to simply rely on faith.

This time, Byakuya kept his questions to himself and followed.

***

Just when Ichigo had thought that it couldn't get any worse…

All right, he _knew_ that the minute that thought crossed his mind, things would definitely go to hell in a handbasket. He should've _known_ that Karin was going to catch the backlash of this somehow.

He and Byakuya had been following the "sense" of the parakeet's spirit, which Ichigo somehow managed to pick up. He figured he'd been able to see, speak and touch ghosts for all of his life – why shouldn't he be able to track where they were as well?

And once he managed to picture that "trail" leading to each spirit as those ribbons, something that he could reach out and grab, following it to the end, it was easy.

They'd gone for about a block when they had run into a pale and shaking Karin. She looked terribly sick and she hadn't looked so weak and helpless since she was a toddler – it scared Ichigo even more.

"Get her home," Byakuya told him. "I'll go after Chad."

It was such a calm, confident, commanding tone that Ichigo almost found himself automatically obeying. At least until he abruptly recalled that Byakuya didn't have all of his shinigami powers quite yet.

"Are you serious?" Ichigo burst out, Karin lying limply in his arms. "I can't let you go after that thing alone!"

Gray eyes again regarded him with that frosty stare. "You cannot afford any distractions. I _can_ hold the creature off until you get there."

Ichigo knew better than to argue further – Byakuya was very proud and he was no slouch at defending himself. So he settled for this instead. "Don't get yourself killed, Byakuya."

"Don't be foolish," was the reply. And then, Byakuya spared a glance for Karin and Ichigo was prepared to swear that there was genuine concern there. "Take care of your sister first."

And Byakuya dashed off, moving with surprising speed.

Ichigo shook his head and turned his attention to Karin.

"Ichi-nii," Karin began, her voice breaking and her face streaked with tears. "I saw it… the memories of that boy in the parakeet."

Ichigo went cold. He should have remembered that Karin shared his "gift."

Karin continued, weeping. "Maybe it's because I'm the closest to him in age. I saw his last memory, Ichi-nii. He saw his mom murdered… right in front of his eyes."

Ichigo could remember… the pouring rain… his mother's voice crying out for him … waking up to find her bloodied body sprawled over his own, protecting him to the end …

Just for a moment, the world stopped for him and all he could hear was Karin telling him everything else. "Please Ichi-nii – you have to save that boy. Tell him that he can see his mom again once he goes to the other side.

"_Don't let him be alone anymore!"_

He got Karin home, tucked her into bed, made sure that she was all right before he left. And all that time, all he could think of was how he'd never seen Karin cry in years.

She'd been as much of a crybaby as Yuzu was when they were little. When their mother died, Yuzu had taken over the housework – cooking, cleaning, the laundry, trying to fill in that empty space that their mother had left behind. Karin was the tomboy – she couldn't help in that way. But she tried not to make them worry about her.

So all those childhood troubles, schoolyard bullies and fights (though Ichigo had let it be known that no one picked on his baby sister and got away with it), getting yelled at by teachers for doing silly clumsy kid stuff, breaking her arm – Karin had borne it stoically. She didn't cry. Didn't shed a single tear.

Karin had tried to be strong, in her own way, just like Ichigo. And now, she was asking him for his help, believing without question that he could save that little ghost boy.

He was her big brother. What else could he do but make Karin that promise?

***

It was easy for Byakuya to catch up to Chad, once Ichigo had pointed him in the right direction.

Not for the first time, he wished that he could use _shunpo_ – it would have been a matter of seconds to catch up to the large boy. No use thinking about what he couldn't do right now – he had to get to Chad before the Hollow did.

He wasn't quite lying to Ichigo when he said that he could hold off that Hollow. He was a master of kidou – he might have ended up in the Kidou Corps easily but his own prowess in the other shinigami arts helped him succeed his grandfather Ginrei not just as the Head of the Kuchiki House but also as the captain of the Sixth Division of the Gotei 13. So Byakuya knew that he stood a good chance of defending himself and Ichigo's friend.

And he had power enough left to sense the Hollow coming up behind him.

He stifled a curse as the evil spirit struck at him – his faux body wasn't quite fast enough to dodge that blow. He was able to regain his footing but he was thrown back a good three feet. Struggling for breath, he managed to keep standing, despite the fact that he already felt black and bruised all over.

"You smell good, pretty," said the Hollow.

Byakuya kept his expression impassive with an effort. Fights always started like this – the taunting, the sneering – he let them slide by. He kept his silence, watching the creature.

Evidently, the Hollow liked the sound of its own voice. "And it looks like you're strong enough to survive that blow. You must be very tasty…."

Byakuya leapt, stunning the creature on the jaw with a well-placed knee. He grabbed hold of the Hollow's mask, hoisting himself over and struck out with a _hado_ . The White Lightning spell struck the Hollow full in the face.

Hope flared anew in him – his powers were returning. He and Sado had a chance.

That hope died quickly when the smoke dissipated and the Hollow was revealed to be without a single scratch.

_Damn! _Byakuya cursed himself for deciding to use the spell without an incantation. He'd gotten used to the fact that kidou came so easily to him that he rarely needed to use the chants.

"I recognize that – you're a shinigami, aren't you, pretty? Or _were_ a shinigami, I guess – that spell was so weak, I barely felt a tickle." The Hollow laughed. "Oooooh, you'll taste real good. Once you get a taste for shinigami, you'll never forget it! And I've had two!"

Time. He had to stall for more time. "Then come after me, then and forget the boy inside that parakeet."

The Hollow grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know why I want the brat?"

It really loved to hear the sound of its own voice. Byakuya would indulge it, for the moment. "By all means – do tell."

"I'll tell you quietly…" The Hollow paused for dramatic effect and Byakuya yearned for the familiar comforting weight of Senbonzakura in his hand, wanting to wipe the smirk off this creature's face once and for all. "…if you'll just stand still and let me eat you!"

It lunged.

Byakuya moved to the side and was surprised to see a very large fist come out of seemingly nowhere, hitting the Hollow squarely on the face.

It was Yasutora Chad.

Byakuya was stunned. Somehow, Ichigo's friend, an ordinary human boy by all accounts, could _touch_ the thing.

"Did I hit it?" Chad said, looking at his fist and looking equally stunned. He looked around. "Where is it?"

"You can't see it?" Byakuya blurted out, composure completely out the window.

"No, but I know I hit it." He struck out again and once more got the Hollow right in the nose.

The Hollow was actually _reeling. _

"Yeah, I got it," said the larger boy with evident satisfaction. He looked far more calmer than Byakuya felt at the moment, which was even more unbelievable. The boy, not even a shinigami, was fighting against a creature he could neither hear or see but he was _fighting_. It was as if he had absolutely no sense of fear at all!

The Hollow cursed and leapt to the air. "Hahahahahaha!!!!! You can't see me coming from this angle, boy!"

"Above you!" Byakuya warned. Just their luck – of course the damn thing could _fly. _

"Hey, transfer student," said Chad, obviously surprised. "You can see ghosts too?"

"Don't argue with me – it's right on top of you!"

Chad turned and wrapped his arms around a nearby electric pole. "Which direction?"

Byakuya gave it to him. And to his complete and utter amazement, Chad managed to break that pole away and used it to bring it down hard on the Hollow's neck.

The shinigami captain looked down on the Hollow with satisfaction.

"Did I get it?" Chad asked.

"You did," Byakuya affirmed. "Someone will be coming along to clear out this trash. He can stay down there until then."

The creature began to laugh from his prone position on the ground. Byakuya tensed – this wasn't a good sign.

"You shinigami are so arrogant – didn't I say that I've already managed to eat two of you? I have some little friends to help me. Say hello!"

Oh. Hell. Byakuya looked up and found themselves surrounded by dozens upon dozens of leech-like creatures. The leeches leapt for them, plunging them down to the hard ground by sheer numbers.

Chad roared. By sheer strength alone, he was able to haul the things off him. Byakuya wasn't far beind, flinging off the disgusting creatures. Chad turned to help him.

"Right above me!" Byakuya gritted out. Chad helpfully got rid of the rest.

"This guy's ridiculous!" The Hollow blustered. "He's answering every single thing with his biceps!"

It took to the air again.

Chad followed Byakuya's gaze heavenwards. "Is it flying again?"

Byakuya nodded.

Chad knelt and cupped his hands. "Need a lift? I can help you jump higher."

This friend of Ichigo's was refreshingly direct and wasn't fond of wasting his words. Byakuya appreciated that.

"Good thinking." Byakuya took off at a run, stepping lightly on Chad's cupped hands and felt the boy adding his own considerable force to help him make the jump higher. Softly, he began murmuring the words of the kidou spell. This had to work or they would both be dead…

_Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings… _

_Ye who bears the name of Man! _

Byakuya didn't get to finish the spell. The Hollow flung a leech at his face. Byakuya reflexively raised a hand to deflect it and it exploded, knocking him down hard to the ground.

"Surprised?" The Hollow gloated. "The leeches are miniature bombs. They explode in reaction to the sound of my tongue! It was foolish of you to think that flying was my only ability!"

Byakuya struggled to his feet, feeling the warm trickle of blood slowly trickling down his scalp and over his face. His hand wasn't much better.

"Don't worry, big guy – I got a surprise for you too!" The Hollow continued.

Another set of leeches arrived, bearing the cage of the parakeet. Byakuya had wondered where the bird was as Chad didn't have it with him when he arrived.

"Take one step and you can say bye-bye, birdie!"

"I'm sorry, Mister," said the boy-in-the-parakeet.

Chad began to move but Byakuya threw out an arm to stop him. "The Hollow says he'll make the birdcage explode if you take another step."

"I want you to run around, pretty!" The Hollow taunted. "Run around and around and around until I get to eat you. It's fun to play with my food!"

"But, transfer student –" Chad began to protest.

Byakuya looked at him steadily. "Do as I say." He made it an order and thankfully, Chad accepted it.

_Don't get yourself killed, Byakuya_. Surprisingly, he found himself thinking of Ichigo's parting words.

And even more startling, he remembered how Ichigo had come up to the roof to give him that mug of milk.

_You look like you needed it. _Just that and he asked for nothing more.

Byakuya wasn't about to let himself get killed by this creature.

He ran, dodging the leeches jumping at him and being thrown at him as best as he could. The explosions were deafening but he stubbornly concentrated on the words of the spell.

_Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings… _

_Ye who bears the name of Man! _

Just a little more. He had to hold out for a few more minutes.

_Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams… _

_Unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws…_

"Destructive Art 33 Blue Fire, Crash Down!" Byakuya shouted the spell's last words.

The burst of blue energy hit the Hollow straight on, obliterating the leeches and cracking the Hollow's mask. It was just a crack but it was a beginning. The Hollow was sent to its knees.

"Shinigami bastard…" The Hollow croaked. He tried to lift his head but stopped short when a foot pushed him firmly down.

"You idiot," Kurosaki Ichigo growled at him, scowl firmly in place. "I thought I told you not to go and get yourself hurt!"

Byakuya blinked. And then found himself retorting: "I believe you told me not to get myself killed. I _am_ alive, am I not?"

"Oh don't try to pull off the whole cool thing on me crap! I got worried!"

Byakuya tried not to feel warmed by that last statement. In fact, to his absolute horror, he was beginning to feel the tell-tale signs of a blush spreading over his cheeks. He was saved from replying when the Hollow butted in.

"How long are you gonna stand on my head?"

Ichigo scoffed. "Heh. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, age 15, acting shinigami. If you wanna go around chasing shinigami, you can play with me!"

Byakuya helped Ichigo assume his shinigami form easily and caught the Berry-Head's body.

"Ichigo, the leeches he's got are actually bombs."

With that warning, he knew Ichigo would be able to handle that Hollow on his own. Ichigo met his eyes and nodded.

"He's a complete bastard, isn't he? Picking on that kid, almost killing you…. Making Karin cry."

"This bastard's gonna be eating _you!" _the Hollow roared, still apparently with a lot of fight left in him.

"I got this," Ichigo told Byakuya. Byakuya nodded. The important thing was to get the rest of them to safety.

"What's happened to Ichigo?" Chad asked as they ran for a safer distance away, Ichigo's currently soulless body in his arms. The big hulking Mexican had simply handed him the parakeet's cage and grabbed the orange-haired boy, following him.

"He's fighting that creature now," Byakuya told him, feeling that the tall half-Mexican boy was definitely owed the truth.

"I'm sorry," the parakeet whimpered. "It's all my fault. You all got hurt because of me… it's all my fault…"

"Yuuichi," Chad said, obviously trying to comfort the boy-ghost.

"He promised me that he'd bring my Mommy back to life." The boy-ghost wept.

Little by little, they coaxed the story out of the child. Apparently, the Hollow was some sort of serial killer in life. The little boy's mother was his last victim; she died protecting her son. He'd broken into their home and managed to corner mother and son out on the second floor balcony. Just as he was about to give the mother a final stab, the child managed to grab his foot and trip him, making him fall over the balcony.

Serial killers and murderers make the transition to being Hollow easily and this one was no exception. In an especially sadistic impulse, he went after the child, taking his soul and forcing it into the parakeet. For the past three months, he played a sick game of chase with the child, making him run, making him find protectors like Yasutora Chad and killing those protectors. And in return, he promised the child that he would bring his mother back to life.

Cold rage filled Byakuya even as a gentle Sado tried to comfort the little boy. The scent of cherry blossoms wafted in the air, a reassurance that Senbonzakura would soon be in his hands again.

It would not be today, though.

"Stay here," Byakuya told Chad. "Protect that boy."

He had to go back to Ichigo. He had to witness this, for the child's sake.

Apparently, the Hollow was telling Ichigo the same tale.

"The brat would wail for his Mommy! It was fun!"

Byakuya's rage was the exact mirror of Ichigo's own. The substitute shinigami grabbed one of the leech-bombs the Hollow threw at him and smashed it right back into its mouth.

"Let's hear you make another sound with that tongue of yours," Ichigo paused for a beat and then snarled. "Can't do it, huh? I guess I'll just have to take your tongue!"

He ripped the Hollow's tongue right out of its mouth.

With another swipe of his sword, he took the Hollow's leg.

"Can you savor it a little?" Ichigo continued, unrelenting, unforgiving. "How it feels to be like one of those being murdered?"

The Hollow wasn't talking now, Byakuya noted with fierce satisfaction. It took to the air and Ichigo leapt after it.

"Never forget that terror!" Ichigo screamed. "Hammer that into your mind and disappear!"

That giant sword came down, cleaving the Hollow almost in half.

And then, just as Byakuya expected, the Gates of Hell appeared.

Ichigo came down to the ground, brown eyes wide. "What the fuck –"

Byakuya went up to him. "It is his judgment. It is what he deserves."

At Ichigo's disbelieving stare, he continued, still watching the Hollow's final end. "I told you that our zanpakutou cleanses a Hollow of its sins and sends it to Soul Society. But it can only absolve it of its sins as a Hollow."

Horrified understanding began to fill Ichigo's eyes. "Then, because of what he did when he was alive…"

Byakuya nodded. "Hollows who have committed terrible sins in life will be claimed by Hell. Look now, Ichigo – the Gates of Hell are opening!"

The gates yawned open and out of its terrible darkness, a great hand appeared with a sword, skewering the Hollow on the blade. Cold, inhuman laughter echoed all around them, making Ichigo shudder. This time, Byakuya reached out a hand to steady him. He'd seen this before, countless times, but the sight never failed to chill him as well.

Mercifully, the sight of Hell's gates was brief and the Hollow was swallowed up inside of it and was gone.

***

Life wasn't fair, Ichigo knew that. But there were times when it just plain _sucked_.

Byakuya regretfully told them that there was no way to restore little Shibata Yuuichi back to his body. The chain of fate that had bound him was already cut and too much time had passed. For once, that calm, impassive face was filled with an unmistakable sadness.

Chad looked pretty much like a kicked puppy himself – Ichigo wasn't far behind. They'd explained everything to Chad, who amazingly took the whole thing about shinigami and spirits in stride. Then again, Chad was one of the few people who didn't think that Ichigo was weird for being able to see ghosts. He was just plain disappointed to know that there wasn't much else they could do for the kid.

Damn.

"There is nothing to fear," Byakuya tried to tell the child, trying awkwardly to give comfort. "You will not know hunger there and there will be no Hollows to prey on you."

Well, it was amazing that Byakuya was actually _trying_ to do the whole "nice guy" thing. Ichigo figured that he couldn't be made of ice after all. But he'd better step in now.

"Hey," he told Shibata gently. "It won't be so bad. And this time, I'm sure your Mom will be waiting for you!"

The little pink-cheeked bird perked right up. And then, he called out to Chad.

"Mister – thank you for everything. Because you carried me around… I didn't get hurt at all."

Chad's hair hid his eyes and he hunkered down even more. "It was nothing," he said gruffly. "But… Yuiichi, when I die and get there, is it all right if I can carry you around one last time?"

This time, Ichigo made it so that Chad could _really_ see the little boy ghost. He'd done it before, mostly to scare the living daylights out of assholes who didn't have any respect for the dead, but this time, Chad deserved to see the kid off.

The child who was Shibata Yuuichi beamed. "Sure!"

The little kid had the same pink cheeks as the parakeet. He was just so damn young. Mustering a bright smile, Ichigo knelt down to the boy's level and asked, "It's about time to go. Are you ready?"

The child nodded and closed his eyes, trustfully.

And it was done.

***

In her bed, Kurosaki Karin slept. The sick feelings that she'd been enduring all day had finally faded away and she was able to sleep peacefully.

Her dreams too were sweet. They included a smiling little boy, with pink cheeks, being brought to safety at long last.

"Thank you… Ichi-nii…"

_  
-to be continued-_

**

* * *

  
Author's Notes:**

I have cats on the brain, I swear. I'm sorry – there is something remarkably kitty-like about Byakuya-bo. *chortles* And he makes a better kitty than Grimmjow, I swear. Heh.

Yes, I know Byakuya isn't as much of an injury-magnet as Rukia is. And that certain things are happening to him that should've happened to Rukia at this point but she didn't get that chance because of Certain Sandal-Hat Reasons. Not to knock off Rukia, but Byakuya is stronger than her and some things are very, very different in this AU.

*coughHougyokucough* Huh? Houg-whatsis? *evil grin*

All thanks to http: // bleachfanfiction. wikia. com / wiki / List_of_Kido for a very helpful list of canon and non-canon Kido spells. Yay for research!


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